When entering Indonesia, Japanese and British nationals need to obtain a visa, but you can now apply for an Arrival Visa (e-VOA) online.
It could be smoother if you do it from your smartphone, as you need to take a photo and upload it.
This time, we applied for and obtained an Indonesian Arrival Visa online from our smartphone.
Visa required to enter Indonesia
Currently, a visa is required for both Japanese and British nationals to enter Indonesia.
Visas can be applied for at embassies, but at the time of writing this article, it is possible to apply for a visa online. Thefore, we also applied for and obtained an Indonesian Arrival Visa online.
About the Indonesian Arrival Visa (VOA)
The Arrival Visa is applicable to those entering Indonesia from designated international airports for tourism, visiting relatives, business meetings, conferences, transit and other purposes.The period of stay is 30 days and can only be extended once after entry. You can extend your stay only one time for a maximum of 30 days after entering Indonesia, which gives you a total stay of up to 60 days.
We have also previously obtained visas on arrival at the airports of Makassar and Manado in Indonesia.
As mentioned in the post above, you can get a visa on arrival at the airport, but now it is possible to get an electronic visa by pre-applying online.
Single visa (visitor visa) for longer stays
The maximum stay allowed on an Arrival Visa is 30 days, and even if you extend it once after entering the country, you will only be allowed to stay for a maximum of 60 days. If you wish to stay in Indonesia beyond 60 days, you could consider a single visa (visitor visa).
There are several different types of single visas, and they also apply to stays for tourism purposes. A single visa becomes invalid once you leave the country, but you can stay for 60 days and can apply for up to two times of 60-day extensions after entering the country. This means that you can stay in Indonesia for up to 180 days, and you do not need to show a ticket out of Indonesia when you obtain your visa.
We are planning to stay in Indonesia for 31 days, which is not enough time for an Arrival Visa(valid 30 days) We considered the single visa, but the cost of getting a single visa(1,500,000 IDR) and the cost of getting an Arrival visa (500,000 IDR) plus visa extension(500,000 IDR) was more, so we decided to get an Arrival visa online and extend the visa after entering the country (500,000 IDR cheaper).
Incidentally, the fine for overstaying in Indonesia (staying past the expiry date of your visa or residence permit) is currently Rp 1,000,000 per person per day. Therefore, it is cheaper to get a 60-day visa from the beginning or to extend our 30-day visa on arrival.
E-VOA (electronic Visa on Arrival) in Indonesia
e-VOA (electronic visa on arrival) is part of Indonesia’s electronic visa system, which allows foreigners planning to visit to apply for a visa online in advance. It was launched on a trial basis in 2022 with the aim of simplifying the normal visa process and making the process of obtaining a visa quicker and more convenient for travellers.
To use the e-VOA, you must fulfil certain requirements and complete and submit an online application form. Once the visa is approved, an electronic visa (e-VOA) is issued. Print or download the e-VOA you receive to your smartphone and bring it with you.
For getting an e-VOA, you will need,
- A photograph of the passport photo page
- Photo of yourself
- Arrival visa application fee of IDR 519,500 (IDR 19,500 is the credit card transaction fee)
In addition, you will need information on your flight to arrive in Indonesia and where you plan to stay.
How to apply for an Indonesian Arrival Visa online (e-VOA)
The Indonesian e-VOA is currently available to passport holders from 86 countries, including Japan and the UK. The online application process is conducted through the official e-VOA website.
It is recommended to create an account before applying for a visa.
Creating an account
Although the official website makes it look like you can apply for a visa without creating an account, it is smoother to create an account beforehand. We also tried to apply for a visa without creating an account, but it did not work. So please create an account first and then apply for a visa.
To create an account, on a smartphone, select ‘Sign in’ from the three-line menu in the top right corner and go to ‘Create Account’ at the bottom of the Log in page.
When the Create Account screen opens, select ‘Foreigner’.
Create your account by uploading a photo from your passport’s photo page and a photo of yourself.
The passport photo page and the proof photo can be taken with your smartphone. However, take them carefully, as they will not be approved if they are not taken properly. We had to re-take ours several times before we were finally able to upload it.
After that, enter your personal details and press the ‘Submit’ button.
Applying for an Indonesian Arrival Visa online (e-VOA)
Once you have created an account, click the ‘Apply’ button to apply for a visa.
You will be asked the purpose of your entry into Indonesia, so select ‘Tourism’ and then choose ‘Visa on Arrival 30 Days’. Fill in your accommodation and arrival flight details and press the ‘Submit’ button, which will display the fee payment screen.
Indonesia Arrival Visa fee payment
Enter your credit card details under ‘Make a Payment’ to make the payment. Under normal circumstances, the application fee for an Arrival Visa is Rp 500,000, but since the online application is made by credit card, a credit card fee of Rp 19,500 will be added. In total, you will pay Rp 519,500.
This completes the online electronic visa application.
Download the Indonesian electronic Arrival Visa (e-VOA)
Once you have completed payment, you can view and download your e-VOA from the ‘Application’ section of your account. Print it out or download it to your smartphone.
On the day of entry into Indonesia, show the e-VOA you saved and your passport to the immigration officer at the airport. The Arrival Visa will be attached to your passport.
Getting an e-VOA is also possible with a smartphone
We did everything from the browser of our smartphone and were able to complete the whole process. Try to do this in a place with as good an internet connection as possible.
When entering Indonesia, there is one more document you need, which is the customs declaration form. This also can now be processed online, and we filled out the declaration form online from our smartphone, as it is faster.
Comment
hi, could you extend your visa through the website or you had to visit an immigration office?
thank you
Hello, if you have an e-visa you should be able to extend online. If you have obtained a visa before coming to Indonesia or bought a visa on arrival you will have to go to the office to extend. Best to double check this information on the Immigration Indonesia website because the rules change sometimes. Happy travels!